Jazz music and improvisation are often regarded as synonymous, since one of the key aspects of jazz is the element of spontaneous improvisation.
However the development of the ability to improvise requires techniques that can occur only through long preparation. The ability to hear a melodic line and repeat it on the player's instrument is a pre-requisite to being able to compose spontaneously. This involves ear training, technical and artistic skills, and emulation of master musicians.
The jazz workshops will be pitched at the level of the participants. At the most basic level, ear training, scale and chord combinations will be focused on. Following on from this, musicians will have the opportunity to develop listening and group playing skills.
As well as the standard jazz repertoire, pupils will be encouraged to write their own melodic lines and tunes that will be a vehicle for improvisation.
A brief examination of the most famous jazz musicians reveals that most learned by ear before learning to read musical notation. At the more advanced levels students are shown how to transcribe solos and how to analyse them for melodic, harmonic and rhythmic content. The workshops will also concentrate on the development of a "musical voice" which includes tone production, phrasing and musical vocabulary.
Videos and recorded material will be used to show the range of jazz and the various methods of improvisation.